Learn All About Butterfly Banding And More At Cleveland Metroparks "Monarch Magic" Event

Learn All About Butterfly Banding And More At Cleveland Metroparks "Monarch Magic" Event

August 14, 2012

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

BOB ROTATORI - 216-635-3263 - or -

ALYSSA COOK-ALEXANDER - 216-635-3274

Tagging a Monarch butterfly is a relatively simple process thatprovides a lot of information. A long time ago, people wonderedwhere these majestic butterflies flitted off to each year.Butterfly banding and recovery has given researchers the ability tofind out exactly where these insects disappear to in September.

Learn about the process and benefits of tagging Monarchbutterflies at Cleveland Metroparks �Monarch Magic� event onSaturday, September 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at North Chagrin NatureCenter in Mayfield Village.

Visitors can also enjoy a variety of other activities at thisfree event, including an area with live caterpillars and monarchs,puppets shows, hikes and children's crafts and activities, inaddition to learning about monarch banding!

Event-goers can also enjoy three great movies: at 12:30 p.m. -�Saving the Monarchs,� 1:30 p.m. �Magic School Bus:Butterflies� and 2:45 p.m. - �On the Wings of Monarchs.�

Stop by and browse the great merchandise selections ofEarthWords Nature Shop, and enjoy a refreshment area, too.

Every year Monarchs migrate to the Highlands of Mexico duringthe winter. In the spring, they return, fuelling themselves ongoldenrod and milkweed. The plants are not only important for fuel,but also for breeding. Environmental factors like drought and toomuch rain, affect the number of Monarchs. Mild winters much likethe one that just passed, means that Monarchs return earlier, butthe caterpillars do not do well in weather over 90 degrees.

Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Nature Center tracks Monarchsof the area by putting a small tag on the underside of abutterfly's hind wing. The tags contain a call number, so they canbe traced through a database. In a season with a good Monarchpopulation, as many as 500 butterflies can be tagged. Theinformation collected from banding helps researchers learn aboutthe migration paths of Monarch butterflies.

North Chagrin Nature Center is located off Buttermilk FallsParkway, off the Sunset Lane entrance of North Chagrin Reservation,off SOM Center Road/Route 91 in Mayfield Village - south of theI-90/Rte. 91 exit.

For more information, call 440-473-3370 or visitclevelandmetroparks.com.

To learn more about butterfly banding, migrate over to�Monarch Magic� with Cleveland Metroparks - part of yourlife, naturally!